The Battle of Neretva

The Battle of Neretva Note that the submachine gun seen is a Soviet PPS-43, a gun not seen in the film. Country Yugoslavia Germany Italy Directed by Veljko Bulajic Release Date 1969 Language English German Italian Croatian Studio United Yugoslavia Producers Eichberg-Film International Film Company Distributor American International Pictures (AIP) Main Cast Character Actor Vlado Yul Brynner Col. Kranzer Hardy Krüger Capt. Michele Riva Franco Nero Danica Sylva Koscina Nikola Oleg Vidov Novak Ljubisa Samardzic Martin Sergei Bondarchuk Gen. Morelli Anthony Dawson Chetnik Senator Orson Welles Gen. Lohring Curd Jürgens

The Battle of Neretva (Original: Bitka na Neretvi) is a 1969 Yugoslavian war drama recounting the largest combat encounter between the Axis occupiers and the partisans in the territory of the former Yugoslavia during World War II. The film was an Italian-German co-production directed by Veljko Bulajic and was the most expensive film produced in the country of what was then still Yugoslavia. The international cast included Yul Brynner, Orson Welles, Sergei Bondarchuk, Hardy Krüger, Curt Jürgens, Franco Nero and Sylva Koscina and is also notable for the massive amount of Soviet-made armor used in the production.

The following weapons were used in the film The Battle of Neretva:

Handguns

Luger P08

Partisans commanders and officers use German Luger P08 pistols.

Luger P08 9x19mm

Partisan commander Vlado (Yul Brynner) draws his pistol.

Partisan Nikola (Oleg Vidov) (left) aims a Luger P08 pistol at Capt. Michele Riva (Franco Nero).

Walther P38

The Walther P38 is used by Partisan and Chetnik officers.

Walther P38 pistol - 9x19mm

A wounded Partisan officer draws his pistol.

The Chetnik commander (Dusan Bulajic) holds his P38.

Submachine Guns

MP40

The MP40 submachine gun is used heavily by all factions.

MP40 - 9mm.

File:Hardy Krüger-BN.jpg

Col. Kranzer (Hardy Krüger) (left) holds a submachine gun in his hand.

Partisan Nikola (Oleg Vidov) fires his MP40 while fighting German infantry

Danica (Sylva Koscina), a female Partisan, uses an MP40

Comander Stole (Velimir 'Bata' Zivojinovic) fires on Cetnik cavalry with his MP40 .

A Cetnik cavalryman carries a slung MP40.

Beretta Model 38

Partisans used captured Italian Beretta M38A and Beretta Model 38/42 submachine guns.

Beretta Model 38A - 9x19mm

.

A Partisan aims his gun at Nikola.

The Ustasha commander (Miha Baloh) prepares to fire.

Beretta Model 38/42

Beretta Model 38/42 are used by partisans and chetniks.

Beretta Model 38/42 - 9x19mm

A Partisan aims his Model 38/42 at German infantry.

Chetnik fire his submachine gun.

Beretta Model 38/44

Beretta Model 38/44 are also used.

Beretta Model 38/44 - 9x19mm. This model replaced the 38/42 and features an unfluted barrel and lacks the recoil spring extension from the back of the receiver.

A Serb Cetnik cavalryman holds his M38/44. Note the slim unfluted barrel.

Machine Guns

MG42

German and Partisan forces use MG42 machine guns.

MG42 Machine Gun - 7.92x57mm Mauser

A German fires his MG42.

Stipe (Boris Dvornik), a motorcycle-riding Partisan, carries a slung machine gun.

The Partisan commander, Vlado (Yul Brynner), fires an MG42 at German airplanes.

Novak (Ljubisa Samardzic), a Partisan machine-gunner, mans his weapon.

MG 34

Both sides use MG 34 machineguns as well.

MG 34 - 7.92x57mm Mauser with 75-round ammo drum

Partisan machine gunner fires his MG 34.

Chetniks gunners lie dead beside their weapon.

Machinegunner Novak (Ljubisa Samardzic) with his MG 34.

Breda Modello 37

Italian troops use the Breda Modello 37 "heavy" machine gun.

Breda Modello 37 - 8x59mm RB Breda

An Italian machinegunner fires on the attacking partisans with his Modello 37.

An M37 machinegun guards a Serbian chetnik camp.

Rifles

Karabiner 98k

Both German and Partisan forces use Karabiner 98k rifles.

Karabiner 98k - 7.92x57mm

German infantry with K98k rifles in melee combat.

A Partisan engages Chetniks with his rifle.

A Chetnik returns fire with his K98k

Mauser Gewehr 1898 rifle

The Ustasha patrols carry Mauser Gewehr 1898 rifles.

Mauser Gewehr 1898 7.92x57mm Mauser

Carcano M91 Rifle

The Italian infantry carry Carcano M91/38 Cavalry Carbines and Carcano M91/38 Short Rifles.

Carcano M91/38 Cavalry Carbine with folded bayonet - 6.5mm.

An Italian soldier runs toward the train with his rifle in hand.

A Partisan woman (Milena Drapcevic) carries a M91/38 rifle.

Carcano M91/38 Short Rifle - 6.5 mm

An Italian soldier carries a rifle on his back.

Hand Grenades

M52 Hand Grenade

Partisans carry post-war Yugoslav M52 Hand Grenades of several modifications. The grey-blueish color of the body indicates training version.

M52 P1 Yugoslavian Hand Grenade

M52 P2 Yugoslavian Hand Grenade

A Partisan dances with hand grenades hanging from his belt. An M52 P2 is seen at the left while the left grenade is an M52 or M52 P1.

Several M52 or M52 P1 grenades are seen on Novak's (Ljubisa Samardzic) belt.

Model 24 Stielhandgranate

German infantry and some partisans carry Model 24 Stielhandgranates.

Model 24 Stielhandgranate "Potato Masher" high-explosive fragmentation hand grenade

A Partisan prepares to throw a bundle of grenades at an Italian armored car.

Mk 2 hand grenade

A Mk 2 hand grenade is briefly seen.

Mk 2 "Pineapple" High-Explosive Fragmentation hand grenade.

A Partisan girl about to throw a grenade at Chetnik cavalry.

Unidentified grenade

The Partisans for disposal of bridge or stockpiles of enemies weapons use a unidentified bombs.

Commander Vlado (Yul Brynner) holds a unidentified grenades volume in his hand.

Other

2 cm Flakvierling 38

Partisans capture a German 2 cm Flakvierling 38 anti-aircraft gun.

2 cm Flakvierling 38 - 20x138mm B

5 cm PaK 38

Partisans fire a 5 cm Pak 38 anti-tank gun.

5 cm-Pak 38 anti-tank gun.

8 cm kurzer Granatwerfer 42

The chetniks deployed against a partisans the 8 cm kurzer Granatwerfer 42.

kurzer 8 cm Granatwerfer 42 (kz 8 cm GrW 42) - 81.4mm

85mm Air Defense Gun M1939 (52-K)

85mm Air Defense Gun M1939 (52-K) - 85×629mm R

Partisan commander Martin (Sergey Bondarchuk) fires a 85mm Air Defense Gun M1939 (52-K) at German aircraft

Partisans destroy their heavy artillery before retreating into the mountains.

Leuchtpistole

A Leuchtpistole is used for signalling.

Leuchtpistole - 26.65mm

PTRS-41 anti-tank rifle

Partisans anti-tank troops are equipped with PTRS-41 rifles.

PTRS-41 anti-tank rifle 14.5x114mm

A Partisan aims at a German tank.

Armor

One of the most interesting aspects of this film was the massive amount of Soviet-era armor lent to the production including the following:

T-34

The unmodified T-34 Russian tank is the most widely seen armored vehicle in the film, which was typically seen utilized by the German forces.

German forces are seen using Soviet T-34's.

Pzkw VI Tiger I

What appear to be Tiger I tanks are also seen used by German forces in the film. In reality, these were T-34's with modified turrets to resemble the Tiger. These mockups were so well detailed that three of them were eventually reused in the 1970 Clint Eastwood war film Kelly's Heroes.

Tiger I tanks are also seen used by German forces. These were modified T-34's and were subsequently reused in the film Kelly's Heroes.

M4 Sherman

Strangely, American M4 Sherman tanks are also seen depicted as German armor in the film. While the Germans used the M4 Under the designation Panzerkampfwagen M4-748(a), it was rare to see a captured M4 in action

An American M4 Sherman tank painted in German colors.